Romania on the brink of shutting down nuclear power plants due to heat

Romania is on the verge of completely shutting down its only nuclear power plant due to an unprecedented drop in the Danube River, which is needed to cool the reactors. One of the two power units at the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) has already stopped operating, and the second could be shut down on August 13 if the water level continues to fall.

The Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) typically generates approximately 20% of the country's electricity. Unit 1 was shut down on July 28 due to low water levels, while Unit 2 continues to operate thanks to emergency measures taken by authorities.

The Danube River near the plant has dropped to a near-critical minimum. Authorities are dredging, removing obstructions from the riverbed, and deploying barges loaded with rocks to direct more water to the cooling system. These measures have temporarily raised the water level, but have not achieved a permanent result.

Nuclearelectrica, the nuclear power plant operator, announced that Unit 2 could be shut down on the morning of August 13, depending on hydrological forecasts and further changes in the Danube river level.

The current situation has already increased Romania's dependence on imported electricity and gas-fired power generation. On the evening of August 5, electricity demand reached 7.7 MW, compared to domestic production of 5.3 MW, with imports covering almost 31% of consumption.

Prolonged heat and low water levels continue to pose serious challenges to Romania's energy sector. Authorities have declared a state of energy readiness and called on citizens and businesses to voluntarily reduce electricity consumption during evening hours.

Earlier, the Romanian military carried out underwater blasting operations on the Danube, using 180 kilograms of explosives to remove a rock obstruction and redirect water to the nuclear power plant's cooling channel. Subsequently, work began on dredging the riverbed and installing barges loaded with rocks to maintain the water level near the operating reactor.